The Illinois Senate voted 40-13 against a bill that would have banned the artery-clogging food additives from many food products sold in the state.

The bill had been changed to exempt businesses with fewer than 50 employees and with less than $4 million in sales from the ban. But it wasn't enough for lawmakers who thought the state was treading where it shouldn't be.

"Should the nanny state get involved in this?" said Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, who said it is parents' responsibility to see that their children eat health diets.

"I think this is a way overreach of government," added Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon.

Sponsoring Sen. Donne Trotter, D-Chicago, said it is appropriate for the state to ban artificial trans fats given that they are believed to contribute to heart disease, diabetes and strokes.

“Thirty thousand cardiac deaths last year could be attributed to trans fats,” Trotter said.

As a public policy issue, he said, the state often ends up footing the bill to treat people with medical problems caused by trans fats.

McCarter said he thought the ban could affect bakeries in small-town grocery stores. Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, said he didn’t think the bill clearly exempted food operations run by veterans’ organizations like the VFW and American Legion, although Trotter said they were exempt.

Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, supported the bill even though he owns a bakery. However, he doesn’t use trans fats and tries to publicize that.

“We advertise that we don’t use trans fats or preservatives,” Koehler said. “Trans fats are a terrible health risk.”